In December, we announced we wanted to help one of our customers by covering transportation and lodging to Market. We asked our online community to nominate an Accent Decor customer they felt deserved to attend market, and you all really stepped up to the plate and sent us some amazing nominations.
We are so thankful to all of you who reached out and shared what’s been going on in the businesses and lives of your loved ones, and we were pleasantly not surprised by all the positive things people had to say about our customers, because frankly, we have the BEST customers. You all work so hard to bring beauty and delight into the community through floral, event, and interior design!
The nomination that stood out to us came from a small flower shop in Massachusetts. Grace Pinhancos nominated her son, Christopher, to attend market, and we were thrilled to help make it possible for him to attend the Las Vegas show this year. Above, he’s pictured in our Vegas Showroom with Monique (left), a member of our buying team, and Frank Hofland (right), co-founder of Accent Decor.Chris told us he loved the look of the showroom, and it was very in tune with the look of his own store, Touch of Grace Florist & Gift Shop in North Dartmouth. We won’t lie; we love it when our customers are inspired by the designs in our showroom. We really work hard to create experiences that will enhance our products and relate to current trends.
We chose Chris because it struck us how crucial it is for younger generations to take the time and understand what came before, to learn that parents are more than caregivers; they’re people with dreams and strengths and determinations of their own. We love that Chris saw that in his mother, that he didn’t see the family business as something to take him off track, but as something to merge with his existing skills. We love that flare for adaptability and perseverance, and we could go on and on, but perhaps, words from Grace, Chris’ mother, will serve you best:I’m a follower of your blog and a recent post caught my eye and spoke to my heart. I’m reaching out to nominate a very special person to experience this market trip which is my son, Christopher Pinhancos. I’ve been a floral designer and shop owner for 15+ years and recently had to make some hard decisions when it came to the future of my business that I have worked so many years to build.
Due to the the repetition of so many years of designing and working in the floral business, I have developed serious carpal tunnel in both my hands and I’m dealing with a muscle disorder. I have two sons, but Chris was always very much interested in all aspects of design from florals to interiors. At a young age, he would come home from school and sit on a stool and watch me work and ask many questions on how the business operated. He went to school and has always worked in the hospitality industry until recently. He made the decision as I was on the verge of selling my business due to health reasons, to continue to build our family business, and change career paths to something he never believed he could do.
He recently quit his steady income job to learn in more depth how my business operates, and will be taking complete ownership very soon. I cannot express to you on how proud of a mother I am to see him take over the business. But on how so very talented he is and all the amazing ideas he has come up with for the store.
He has recently invested his money in doing a complete remodel of our storefront. All of my new customers are so happy with the changes and are constantly complimenting the new look and changes at the store. He has introduced your line to our customers and he is very much a huge fan of your products.
We have both always heard such amazing things of these design shows and have always tried to make it a point to experience one. I would love for him to experience this opportunity and continue to be inspired to show the beautiful talent that lies in him. I hope you may consider him for this trip. Happy Holidays!
Grace Pinhancos
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